The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-06
THE PRINCIPLE OF LOCAL OPTION.

To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journals:
If there is any principle of government the
American people, Of all parties, are unreservedly
committed to, it is the principle of local self
government, home rule, or local option, for these
terms all mean the same thing The principle
had its first practical application in the New
England town meeting of colonial day, where all
measures of local character were discussed and
settled. If public bridge was called for
town meeting was summoned and in this the
question of bridge or no bridge was debated and
determined. If school-house was demanded, a
town meeting decided whether not the well
fare of the neighborhood required it, and the
school house was built or not built as the ma
jority decided by their ballots. If tax was to
be levied for any local improvement, the town
meeting determined how much it should be, and
under whose supervision it should be expended.
Every local interest was looked after and pro-
vided for by the town meeting
From the town meeting OF New England the
principle of local self-government, in some form
or other, has been engrafted into the polty of
every State of the Union, and is to-day recog-
nized and enforced in every branch, department
and jurisdiction OF our complex system of gov
eminent.
The Nation determines questions affecting the
country large, the State settles controversies
in which the State only is concerned, and all
purely local matters are referred to our county,
township and municipal authorities or to the peo-
pie of these several local subdivisions; and this
local sef-government, home-rule or local option,
as you may choose to designate it, has become
the very essence of our political institutions. It
| is only when we attempt to apply this just and
| benefeent principle TO the saloon that any one
| is found to object. Those who oppose local OPP
ton in reference to the retail liquor business are
| willing to grant to every neighborhood in the
| State the right to determine for itself whether
| or not it will have bridge, new courthouse,
| a school house. new aims house, make a sub
/ scription to aid in building a railroad, or con-
/ struct free gravel or macadamized road they
| are willing that town city may determine
/ for itself whether not it will have gas works,
water works, street railroads and high schools;
| but they not willing that any community
| may determine for itself whether or not it viii
| have dram-shops saloons. The people within
/ given area may vote out The school houses,
| vote down the railroad subscription defeat those
| who would build a new courthouse or a new
| county poor house; the people OF town or city
/ may vote down the water works, the gas-works
/ and the high school, but the saloon is too sacred
to be touched by the popular will 1t is so much
/ more beneficial than any of these things tina
| it must be placed beyond the reach of popular
disfavor. The school-house, the bridge, the
| the alms-house, the railroad, the water-works,
| the gas works the high school may each or al
be required to abide the judgment Of the ma